Residents caught in bin war crossfire

RESIDENTS in a plush new housing development are having to dispose of their refuse in a skip as developers and council officials argue over whether a purpose-built bin store is in the correct position, or of the approved design.

A STAND-OFF between developers and Manchester Council has forced residents of luxury flats in Whalley Range to use a hired skip for their household waste - despite having watched two dustbin stores being built on the site.

Weller Court houses 24 two-bedroom flats, worth more than £170,000 each, but a dispute between the developers and the council means that there are still no bins available for their use.

Bellway Homes began by building a bin store in front of one of the two blocks of flats - which Manchester Council says was in breach of planning regulations. This was demolished and a second building then erected. Again a council representative said Bellway had failed to comply with planning requirments and refused to allow the store to be used.A spokesman for Bellway said the second block had been constructed at the council's request and that it was up to the authority to provide the bins for residents. The developers are paying for the skip as an interim measure.

Norman Fitchett, 80, who lives opposite the development in Stanley Road, said: "It seems stupid that the developers have built a place to keep the bins and yet it can't be used.

"People are very worried about rodents being attracted to the area because the residents are using a skip for their waste. It was disgusting over the holiday period. The empty bin store is becoming an eyesore, and it's dreadful that people have to use a skip. Both the developers and the council should have been able to do better than this."

A spokesman for Manchester Council said: "The bin store was built directly in front of one of the blocks of flats in breach of planning conditions which require the developer to state how refuse will be stored on the sire.

"The store was demolished and rebuilt in a different position - but the developer did not submit details to the planning department as required, resulting in a further breach. In an attempt to resolve this problem we are in discussions with the developer."

Bellway Homes representative Julian Kenyon said: "The second bin store was constructed at the request of the council and does not contravene planning regulations.

"It's the responsibility of the council to provide bins. As an interim measure we have provided a skip for residents to use at our expense and this is emptied on a regular basis."